Stackable containers



Aug. 30, 1960 w. s. HOLLINGSHEAD 2,950,844

STACKABLE CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 16, 1957 ATTORNEYS.

STACKABLE CONTRS Wickliffe Stewart Holiingshead, Riverton, N1, assignor to R. M. Hollingshead Corporation, Camden, NJL, a corporation of New iersey Filed Sept. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 684,054

2 Claims. (Cl. 222143) This invention relates to containers. More particularly, it is concerned with corrosion-free containers having pouring necks and intended for use in the marketing of pourable commodities of different kinds, such as liquids, and solids in granular or pulverulent form.

Heretofore, containers with pouring necks at the top thereof have generally been made with flat bottoms. Because of the protuberant pouring necks, it is not possible to pack such containers securely in shipping cases or cartons Without interposing between the "containers, both vertically and horizontally, paperboard spacers or dividers. Attempts have been made to pack such containers in shipping cases or cartons in superimposed pairs, with their tops in opposing relation, but such endeavors have not been successful since the containers so packed are not stable, and the use of spacers is therefore still required.

More recently, attempts have been made to solve this problem by forming a dimple or depression in the center of the bottom of the containers of such size and configuration as to complement the capped pouring neck, but this technique has not proved successful for the reason that it requires displacement of the pouring neck to the center of the top of the container which makes pouring liquids from the container extremely difficult. Preferably, the neck should be adjacent one end of the top of the container for ease of pouring.

Similar difliculties have been encountered with the stacking of containers of this type in retail stores, particularly in the so-called super markets. In present day super markets, enormous quantities of a single item of merchandise are stacked on the shelves at the same time. In the case of containers having pouring necks, it has been extremely difficult to stack quantities thereof for display purposes. The use of cardboard dividers or spacers has not proven to be satisfactory, since they interfere with the customers freedom of removing the goods from the shelves, and deface the displays, particularly after a quantity of the containers have been sold. Nor, has the stacking of containers in pairs in vertical relationship, with the upper container upside down, proven to be satisfactory, since it destroys the appearance of the displays, and renders them highly unstable.

Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made to devise containers having pouring necks at one side of the top thereof which will overcome the above problems, and which will permit stable stacking in a variety of displays without requiring the use of spacers, or necessitating that some of the containers be disposed in inverted relationship.

My invention has for its chief aim the provision of a corrosion-free container suitable for these purposes which can be closely packed with like containers in shipping boxes or cartons, and firmly stacked in upright position in multiple units in a variety of forms, including both direct vertical or pyramidal, without use of spacers or dividers, and which, moreover, lends itself to ready and economical production in quantity from relatively cheap materials.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a container conveniently embodying my invention, with a portion broken out and shown in section.

Fig. 2 shows the bottom of the container.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the container in vertical section taken as indicated by the angled arrows IIIIII in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the container in cross section taken as indicated by the angled arrows IVIV in Fig. 2.

Fig. ,5 shows how the container can be stacked uprightly in direct vertical relation with a plurality of like containers.

Fig. 6 shows how the container can be stacked uprightly in pyramidal relation with a plurality of like containers.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows VIIVII in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing another way in which the container can be stacked with a plurality of like containers in pyramidal relation; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view with portions in section of a modified form of my container, showing how the same may be stacked in vertical relation with others. like it.

With reference first to Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, my improved container 10 as there exemplified is constructed from suitable stiff sheet material with a body section 11 which is oblong in cross section and rounded at the corners. The top 12 of the container 10 is perimetrically flanged and soldered, or otherwise joined in any well known manner, to the upper edge of body section 11, as at 13, and is formed with an upwardly projected cylindrical pouring neck 14, which is fittted with a removable closure cap 15. The bottom 16 of the container is similarly joined perimetrically with the body section 11, as at 17, and is preferably formed with a series of spaced, transversely arranged, concave depressions 18 which are relatively deep and circular in configuration to correspond with and complement the cap of pouring neck 14. In the embodiment shown, the centers of the depressions 18 in the container bottom 16 are spaced by distances somewhat less than the diameter of the cap of neck 14, and are thus mergent through roundings 19. As a result of this construction, it will be seen that the container can be stacked with others like it, as shown in Figs. 5 and 9, in upright vertical relation with the capped neck 14 snugly engaging into one of the depressions 18 in the bottom 16 of a superimposed container. The container can also be stacked in pyramidal formations, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. In practice, the pouring neck is preferably placed atop the container adjacent one end thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, but, as illustrated in Fig. 9, this invention lends itself to application to containers regardless of where the pouring neck is located atop the container.

The containers of this invention are preferably made of tin plate which, in general practice, comprises black iron sheets electrolytically plated with a thin coating of pure tin. When tin plate is drawn, as with a pair of coacting dies, to produce shaped articles, such as the bottom 16 of the container 10, the tin coating often is ruptured, exposing the surface of the black iron below. Black iron is highly susceptible to rust and corrosion. Hence, when liquids are placed in containers 10, rust or corrosion is likely to form in the containers as a reblack iron of the-inside surf e of b ttom 16-v Thi of course, is highly objectionable.

In order to prevent formation of rust or corrosion in the o tainers, due o the e p e of the blac i on of the bottom 16, the tin plate prior to drawing is coated on both sides with a highly flexible. orpliable namel or lacq er having permanent a herent qualities- The enamel or lacquer may be applied to the tin plate by any Well known dip, spray, or roller-coating method. Phenolic lacquers, particularly vinyl-modified types, are preferred for this purpose. In practice, a produet of the Inter-Chemical Corporation of New YOrk city presently known as No. 3027-18D- enamel has proved to be highly satisfactory. No. 3027-18D enamel comprises a phenolic resin modified with polyvinyl butyral which is soluble in mineral spirits or aromatic solvents. In order to obtain the desired flexibility, No. 3027-18D enamel is applied to the tin plate at a dry film Weight of 8 to 10 milligrams per 4 square inches, or at a wet film thickness of 7 A2 to 8 /2 millimeters on a Pfund gauge.

Containers constructed in accordance with this invention thus lend themselves to close and stable packing in shipping cartons or boxes without the use of interposed supports or spacers, are capable of being firmly stacked in the stores in upright position in a multitude of displays, without the use of supports or spacers, and arecorrosionfree and rust-free internally and externally.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A container having a rupture-proof laquer coating and provided with an upwardly projecting pouring neck of cylindrical configuration at one end of its top and a plurality of indentations in the bottom thereof whereby the container can be stacked with like containers in various Ways with one of the indentations in the bottom of one such container engaged and clearing the pouring neck of a subjacent container, said indentations being spaced by a distance less than the diameter of the pouring neck and being mergent one with another.

2. A container having a rupture-proof lacquer coating and provided with an upwardly projecting pouring neck of cylindrical configuration at one end of its top and a plurality of indentations in the bottom thereof, each of said indentations being shaped to complement the capped pouring neck whereby the container can be stacked with like containers in various ways with one of the indentations in the bottom of one such container engaged over and clearing the pouring neck of a subjacent container, said indentations being spaced by a distance less than the diameter of the pouring neck and being mergent one with another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,774 Morse Nov. 23, 1926 2,378,521 Warth et a1. June 19, 1945 2,641,374 Der Yuen June 9, 1953 

